What is the meaning of Genesis 38:10? What he did “Onan knew that the offspring would not be his; so whenever he went in to his brother’s wife, he spilled his seed on the ground” (Genesis 38:9). • Onan’s outward act seemed to honor the custom later codified as levirate marriage (Deuteronomy 25:5–6). • Inwardly, he refused to give Tamar a child that would carry his brother’s name and inherit Judah’s line (Ruth 4:5, 10). • He chose self-gratification over covenant duty, echoing Cain’s self-interest in Genesis 4:9. • Scripture highlights motive as well as action; God “looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7). was wicked in the sight of the LORD “The eyes of the LORD are in every place” (Proverbs 15:3), so nothing is hidden. • Onan’s sin was not marital intimacy but deliberate obstruction of God’s purpose to build the promised seed (Genesis 12:2–3; 49:10). • His contempt for family responsibility violated God’s moral order (Leviticus 18:16). • Like Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1–10), he practiced deceit under a cloak of obedience. • The text calls it “wicked,” reminding us that holiness defines right and wrong (Psalm 51:4). so He put Onan to death as well “Be sure your sin will find you out” (Numbers 32:23). • Judgment is immediate here, as it was for Uzzah (2 Samuel 6:7); both warn that God’s patience has limits (Romans 2:4–5). • The death underscores that “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23) and guards the messianic line (Matthew 1:3). • God’s action protects Tamar, preserves Judah’s household, and keeps the covenant promise on track (Genesis 38:26; 45:7). • This decisive step teaches reverence: “Our God is a consuming fire” (Hebrews 12:29). summary Onan pretended obedience while pursuing selfish gain. God, who sees beyond appearances, judged his hidden rebellion to safeguard His redemptive plan. The verse warns that deliberate defiance of revealed duty invites swift judgment, yet it also highlights God’s faithful commitment to fulfill His covenant promises through any means necessary. |
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